A live album's performance is very difficult to evaluate. Performances are determined by so many factors, and it's hard to know if the artist is on the last leg or first leg of a tour, how many frustrating travel experiences have been involved, and how well the artist is feeling during the performance. The variables are such that a particular stop may offer a completely mediocre show, whilst the next is perfectly stirring.

I'm sure country singer/songwriter Katy Moffatt has experienced a number of these up and down shows in her lifetime. Accompanied only by her acoustic guitar, Moffatt's vocals bear a resemblance to fellow country artist Janie Fricke, sharing a worn timbre that occasionally shimmers throughout the album. Recorded live in the fall of 2002 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Moffatt runs the gamut of her well known songs and throws in some noteworthy covers from mostly more roots-Americana artists (such as Holly Near, Bonnie Raitt) to more traditional stuff (such as Jimmie Rodgers and Eddy Arnold). Moffatt breathes life into each note making sure they resonate with a cadence that is warm, clear and personal.

Many of the songs were penned by Moffatt and Tom Russell. The conversational nature of these songs reveals earnest pleas for intimacy and are deftly captured by Moffatt. "Walking on the Moon," an introspective number about a girl trying to articulate her first love to her mother, is given a resplendent rendition. In "Ruin This Romance," even when the relationship Moffatt sings of has turned sour; the lyrics take the high road with the aggressively upbeat message. Of the many fine songs on this album, my favorite is the breathtaking ballad "Never Be Alone Again," in which Moffatt opens up her soul to the audience, showing the loneliness of touring.

As fine as these songs are, Moffatt's interaction with her audience is fairly reticent, and frankly, I got a little weary after eighteen songs and the audience started losing interest after the first three. Who could blame them? The problem with this kind of solo gig is the songs are so similar in dynamics; they simply fade into the background. It's very hard for even the best musicians to battle short attention spans, but it feels like Moffatt doesn't even try. Her interaction with the audience is practically non-existent; she doesn't even provide much information behind the stories of her songs. Or it's possible she did, but the producers decided to edit them out, or maybe she was just tired. Whatever the reason, such lack of give and take makes Moffatt seem insincere.

Perhaps there is a lesson in this for the producer of the album. If the artist and the audience aren't in synch during the show, leave out everything that makes the artist seem less stellar. But this is a minor complaint. For the most part, this is an album worth listening to even though it does run a little long. Moffatt's extraordinary songs together with her stunning vocals create an extremely copasetic listening experience
Edited: [GH]